Reconnect with your roots in Basilicata, through the eyes of Adele Newton, whose family emigrated from Pisticci to Canada.
Over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as many as 400,000 Lucani left Basilicata for the Americas and beyond, driven by the concentration of land in the hands of a few. But they took this place with them: its saints, its food, its language, its rituals. This tour is about connecting with Basilicata as it is today, with the people who are making it a vibrant, creative place. You’ll stay at a farmhouse restored by a Lucanian family who emigrated to Toronto and came back to build something here. You’ll walk the streets of Craco, rich with memories, and bake bread in a Matera bakery that’s been running since 1890. You’ll taste wine from vines grown on the slopes of an extinct volcano by a woman who refused to let her grandfather sell his vineyard.
Join us, and reconnect with Basilicata.
Tours
Dates
2026
October 20–26 (now open)
2027
October 26 – November 1 (now open)
Price (2026)
6 nights / 7 days
Single: $4,500
Double: $3,900 per person
Maximum 12 people
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Bari → Matera
Private transfer from Bari’s Grande Albergo delle Nazioni. Lunch inside a historic cave restaurant. A guided walk through the ancient Sassi with your local guide Silvio — cave dwellings, a casa grotta, and rupestrian churches carved from living rock. Dinner overlooking Matera’s glowing lights.
Day 2: Wandering in Matera & Hands-On Bread Making Class
Free morning to explore Matera at your own pace. Lunch at a restaurant in a cave. Afternoon: a hands-on bread-making class at Forno di Gennaro, a sister-run bakery crafting Matera’s famous sourdough bread since 1960. Transfer to Masseria Torre Fiore, your secluded 16th-century countryside retreat. Dinner at Torre Fiore’s restaurant.
Day 3: Olive Oil & the Lucanian Dolomites
Meet Elena and Andrea, passionate olive oil producers, and walk their ancient grove. You’ll be introduced to the Patriarch — a 300-year-old tree that was here long before the first Crachesi left for America. Share a home-cooked lunch with an olive oil tasting. In the afternoon, visit the dramatic Lucanian Dolomites and a village of 550 souls perched on the rock — and finish with a gelato tasting of Basilicata flavours. Dinner at Torre Fiore.
Day 4: Explore the Towns of Craco & Pisticci
Walk the haunting streets of Craco, the ghost town your ancestors called home. For Craco Society members, this is the closest thing to entering the world your family left behind.
Continue to Pisticci for lunch, the dazzling white hill town nearby — a guided stroll with local guide Silvio through its labyrinth of alleys. Dinner at Torre Fiore.
Day 5: Aglianico del Vulture — Elena Fucci’s Winery
Discover one of Italy’s most celebrated southern wines. Meet Elena Fucci, renowned producer of Aglianico del Vulture, for a tour, tasting with lunch and stories behind this volcanic terroir. Head back to Torre Fiore in the afternoon. Dinner at Torre Fiore.
Day 6: The Feast of San Vincenzo
Today is the fourth Sunday of October — the Feast of San Vincenzo, patron saint of Craco, celebrated without interruption since 1792. You’ll participate in the celebrations in Craco, joining the Crachesi in honouring the saint your ancestors once gathered to venerate. Final dinner together at Torre Fiore.
Day 7: Arrivederci
Breakfast together at Torre Fiore. Private transfer back to Bari.
Why you’ll love this tour
- Small, intimate group (maximum 12)
- Expert local guides & concierge service
- Immersive hands-on food experiences — bread, pasta, mozzarella, olive oil
- Thoughtfully paced itinerary with time to breathe
- Authentic regional cuisine at every meal, wine included
- All activities are included
- Private transportation throughout
- 1 night at Dimore dell’Idris, Matera
- 5 nights at Masseria Torre Fiore, Pisticci
Not included
- Airfare to Bari
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
Optional: Pre-Tour Bari Stay
Arrive a day early and stay at the Grande Albergo delle Nazioni, a 5-star waterfront hotel in Bari.
- Sea-view room and breakfast overlooking the water
- Full spa access
- Single: $270 / Double: $305
Giuditta was the perfect host for six magical days in Greve in Chianti. Time slowed down for me, my wife, and two kids, as we had beautiful, hands-on experiences with the makers of Greve. The truffle hunt/exuberant dog chase followed by shaving the truffles we found onto the pasta we made was a standout. A truly regenerative experience. Highly recommended! Anders G. Los Altos, California I was most impressed by Giuditta’s attention to detail. The agriturismo was a wonderful home away from home. All the activities were so well thought out—an incredible variety of experiences. The food and wine served at each of those events was superb! Carol G. New York State Giuditta is a perfect guide, an organizer par excellence. Her local knowledge of the region, its hidden and other secrets as well as her connections with the community all served to make our trip unforgettable. Ratna O. Toronto, CA Brilliant work by Giuditta coordinating our tour of Val d’Orcia! This is my first time traveling on an organized tour and it exceeded any expectations I had. Everything was taken care of for us. We loved the selection of activities, our friendly and knowledgeable guides and the pace of the week. Jodi G. New York State The goats, the goat farm, the natural surroundings, all the ancient buildings and traditions that are still in use, all together really went right into my heart and made me feel connected, as if I had belonged to that land in some past life. Golijeh Los Altos, California
